


Prodigal Son: A Walk is not Always Good for Your Health

by nothfan



Category: Prodigal Son TV
Genre: Gen, Malcolm needs looking after, Sleeplessness, malcolm needs a hug, parental spanking of an adult
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:07:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22129852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothfan/pseuds/nothfan
Summary: As usual Malcolm can’t sleep and goes out for a walk, he ends up in Gil’s Neighbourhood. And calls in for a hot chocolate. Oh and it’s 4am and Gil is not happy with his *son* wandering the streets of Manhattan at stupid o’clock. Warning: contains a parental type spanking of an adult by his father figure/mentor.
Relationships: Gil Arroyo & Malcolm Bright, Mentor - Relationship, father Figure - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	Prodigal Son: A Walk is not Always Good for Your Health

Prodigal Son 

Prodigal Son: A Walk is not Always Good for Your Health

A third night with zero sleep was just what he needed. He’d already run through his usual distractions. Spread out all his cutting about his father’s case, and added what he’d found about Paul, not that it added up to much. In hindsight probably not a very good aid to relaxation and sleep. So Bright had gone to the store and picked up baking ingredients and made chocolate chip cookies. The sweet aroma of which still filled the loft, not that he’d actually ate any of them. 

But it was no good, he’d put off the inevitable long enough, so went and got ready for bed.   
“You are going to sleep, sleep like the dead!” He said out loud.

He reached into the drawer by his bed, popping his mouth guard before he got under the covers and fastened the wrist straps and lay down. Bright closed his eyes and tried the relaxation techniques Gabrielle had taught him. As usual, they didn’t work, nothing worked when his mind was too crowded with nightmare images. He squeezed his eyes tightly as if that would help shut them out. He could only continue tossing and turning. Eventually he jerked upright and spat out his mouth guard, cursing in tired frustration. 

Bright glanced down at his watch as he wandered aimlessly down the street. It was almost 2am and he was freezing. whose dumb idea was it not to wear a topcoat. He shoved his hands back into his jacket pockets, shoulders hunched against the wind and head bowed, he continued walking. 

He didn’t know how long he’d been walking, but he finally stopped to check the street signs and get his barring. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he realized he was only a couple of blocks from Gil’s house. A gust of wind made him shiver, a mug of Gil’s hot chocolate would be so good right now. His foggy tired brain didn’t stop to consider if it was a good idea to turn up on his mentor’s doorstep at such an unearthly hour. 

Gil pulled himself from a deep sleep when the sound of his door buzzer being leaned on broke through. He looked at his watch, who the hell would be paying him a visit at 4am. Anything work-related would have resulted in a call. His next thought was Bright, had something happened to the kid. That got him hurrying to answer the door, he grabbed his dressing gown as he went.

“Hi Gil,” Malcolm smiled with a little wave as the door opened.  
The older man just stared for a long moment, “What the hell Bright! Are you all right?” he asked.

Hunched against the cold, stamping his feet the young man replied,  
“Was in the neighborhood, can I come in?”

Gil opened the door wider and stepped to the side and gestured the young man inside. He followed Bright down the corridor towards the family room, his hand on the kid's shoulder propelling him along. He could feel him shiver under his grip. He gave Bright a little push towards the couch.

“Sit, I’ll go and get you something hot to drink,”  
“Hot chocolate?” he was tempted to ask for marshmallows too but didn't want to push his luck.

Gil nodded at the kid as he went out of the room. He made a detour to his bedroom to change and grab something warm for Bright to wear. When he returned he set the mug on the coffee table in front of the couch and threw a sweater at the young man.

Bright wriggled out of his jacket and put the woolie jumper on gratefully. Then he accepted the Mug of chocolate that Gil thrust into his hands. He held the mug in both hands for a few moments, warming himself up.

Gil sat in the chair opposite and watched the kid and waited for him to thaw out before speaking.  
“What’s up kid? Is there some emergency that couldn’t wait until tomorrow, today?” he amended.

Bright looked up over his hot chocolate, “I’m ok, just couldn’t sleep,”  
“Um, so you thought you’d hop into a cab and come visit me at 4am? You could have just called Bright.”

He drained his drink and put the cup down on the table, smiling over at his mentor, “couldn’t sleep so I went out for a walk,”

Gil got up and paced around, stopping in front of Bright,   
“You walked here all the way from your loft? Do you know how dangerous it is, wandering the streets at stupid o’clock?” 

The younger man shrugged, “I’m fine, nothing happened, nothing’s ever happened while I’ve been out walking.” Which wasn’t strictly true, his hallucinations dogged him out doors as well as in sometimes. But he wasn’t sharing that titbit with Gil.

“You’ve done this before?” Gil said eyes narrowing.  
“I can’t sleep a lot,” Bright replied, not picking up on the warning signs.

“Were’s your phone?” Gil asked with a hand gesture.

Bright looked over at Gil in surprise at the change of subject. He reached over to pat the pockets of his jacket,  
“It’s in my pock… er, I thought I’d picked it up, must’ve left it at home,” he finished and could feel Gil’s glare on him.

“Has anyone told you what an irresponsible idiot you are?” Gil asked as he returned to pacing the room.

“A few people, once or twice,” Bright muttered.  
“What was that kid?”

Bright shifted on the couch, “Sorry, I won’t disturb you again, I’ll go,”

Gil went and sat on the edge of the coffee table, facing Bright.

“Come on kid, you know you can bother me at any time,” he patted the kid's leg encouragingly.  
“It’s wandering the streets alone and without your phone that concerns me, I know you know better’

“Sorry,” was all Bright could come up with.  
“What am I gonna do with you kid?”

Bright gave an internal sigh of relief, this usually meant that Gil was resigned to his dumb antics. The antics Bright mostly wasn’t aware of until after the fact. Maybe he should profile himself one of these days. Then he noticed that Gil was still waiting for a verbal reply to his question.

“One of your stern lectures? Maybe another safety phrase to add to *call for backup*”

Gil sat with crossed arms and wasn’t impressed with Bright’s flippant attitude, he let the kid prattle a bit longer.

“How about *no unaccompanied walks after 10pm* or is that curfew a little late?” Bright grinned.

“When have lectures ever had the desired effect upon you kid?” Gil asked, Ignoring Bright’s attempt at levity.

Not often Bright had to agee, the intent was usually there but the follow-through somewhat lacking he admitted.

“You could hit me, but I have to warn you, I do have a high tolerance for pain,” Bright was pretty confident Gil wouldn’t take him up on the offer. Dani was the only one who’d punched him in the face and then under exceptional circumstances.

“I could give you a damn good spanking kid, it wouldn’t be the first time, now would it?”

Bright let out a chuckle at the suggestion. He had gotten a few swats on the butt from Gil growing up. Heck he’s even had a couple from Jackie too. But that hardly applied in this situation.

“That was a long time ago, I was a little kid,”

Gil leaned in towards Bright,  
“is that so? How old were you that last time? When you hitched back from school for the holidays, 18, 19?” 

Bright could feel his face heating up at the memory, and he pouted,   
“That was a social experiment…”  
“That got your butt roasted,” Gil reminded him and kept the twitch of a smile under control.

Bright was lost in the unwelcome memory and didn’t notice Gil get up and come join him on the couch. Bright jumped a little when he plumped down near him. He glanced at Gil cautiously,   
“That was still a long time ago, I’m not in school anymore, I’m an adult. I can take a walk whenever I want, free will, ya know. You don’t do that to an adult unless it’s consensual.” 

Bright tried to calm himself down, not sure just who he was trying to convince with his argument. He stole another glance at Gil, hoping he’d been joking. He saw the parental look on Gil’s face, which softened a little and he felt a hand on his neck and gentle pressure exerted. He leaned slightly Into the pressure, fatigue coursing through him. 

“I’m worried about you kid, you look like you’re asleep on your feet. How long is it since you slept through the night? Had a decent meal?” Gil looked hard at Bright, noting his shaking hand.

“Is it the night terrors, are they getting worse? You can talk to me kid,”

Bright fidgeted feeling Gil’s grip tighten, meant as a comfort but he just couldn’t talk about his messed up feeling with his mentor.

“I’m ok, “ he lied unconvincing.  
“If this is your idea of being fine kid...”  
“I talk to my therapist, take my meds, and you keep me supplied with murders. So I’m great, top of the world...”

“Fine kid, you don’t wanna talk to me but at least I can put a leash on you as far as your reckless behaviour goes. And I don’t mean firing you, I’ll tan your behind every time you do anything stupid.” 

Bright didn't know if it was the exhaustion or being back in Gil’s house. There were even photos of himself and Ainsley on the wall. Pictures of them as kids, with Gil and Jackie, a typical family photo. He blinked back tears. He just couldn't summon up the effort to fight Gil on this. Feeling all of 12 years old again he slumped against Gil. 

Gill recognized the submission from the kid and took his hand away from his neck and tugged him over his knee. Bright’s 5’7” frame fit over his knee comfortably enough. He sat slightly sideways with Malcolm's head on the couch and his middle over his lap and his feet towards the floor. He took a firm grip around his waist and tucked him securely against him. He was a bit concerned that Bright was being a little more pliant than he would have expected. But so long with no sleep will have taken its toll on him.

He laid down a couple of firm swats to the center of the butt under his hand and got a shock when the kid howled like he’d been whacked by a two by four piece of wood,

“Jeez kid, what was that about, I’ve hardly touched you yet? Are you ok?” Gil asked with growing concern.

Bright’s face reddened, his overreaction almost as embarrassing as being across Gil’s knee. He turned his head to glance up at Gil, hoping to elicit some pity,

“If I say no, will you take me home?” Bright whined, ok maybe closer to 11 than 12 years old.

Ignoring the pouty expression Gil repeated his question patiently,

“Are you ok kid?”

“Nooo...yes,”

Bright replied and rested his face on the couch seat again. The next few smacks to his butt weren’t any harder than the preceding ones and he thought if this is as bad as it gets, maybe he'd take a nap. But before he could follow up on that thought Gil tapped his shoulder and was helping him up. He was back on his feet but wedged between Gil’s knees and Gil had a hold of him by a bunch of his borrowed jumper.

“Are we done?” he asked hopefully.  
“No kid, that was to get your attention,” Gil snorted softly.  
“Was just about to take a nap, guess that needs work,”   
Gil nudged the kid with his knee, “You need to work on keeping your mouth shut kid,” his free hand went to Bright’s belt buckle.

Bright’s eyes widened and he tried to pull out of the older man’s grip and he batted at Gil’s hands.   
“Stop that! Get off! What’re you doing Gil?”

Gil did stop,  
“excuse me, young man, did you just slap at me?”  
Bright blinked back the first sign of tears, “ ‘m sorry but what’s happening Gil?”

Gil patted his arm, “nothing to worry about kid, I need to take your pants down and then we’ll get on with your lesson,”

Bright made an involuntary grab at the waistband of his pants,

“No! Please Gil, spank me over my pants, you can use my belt if you want. It’s too embarrassing losing my pants!” he finished with a loud whine.

Gil stood up, still keeping a grip on the young man. His hand to the back of the Bright’s neck and gently rubbed, he knew that calmed the kid down,  
“I’m not using a belt on you kid, and I’m not gonna hurt you. When you misbehave you can expect a trip over my knee with your pants down. And if that isn't enough incentive for you to stop the reckless, dumb behavior I've seen from you lately, well I’m not averse to spanking your bare bottom Malcolm.” 

Well, adult Malcolm Bright had definitely left the building, no doubt about that. Gil reached and undid his belt and pushed his pants down past his knees and pulled him back over his lap. Malcolm was trying to decide whether to settle at 9 or 10-year-old Malcolm. It also came to him in between yelps as Gil smacked his butt, that this was his first pants down spanking. Damn, that is so unfair, Gil hadn’t even done this to him when he was a kid. He’d have to bring that up during their next adult conversation, if they ever had one.

Gil decided to do a little lecturing during the spanking, which he was taking his time over and not actually spanking very hard,

“And will you be taking any more solo nocturnal walks Malcolm?” he asked after shifting the kid forward a little to add some attention to his sit spots.

“No!” He yelped as another smack landed.  
“Good boy, and what will you do it you can’t sleep?”

Bright put up a bit of token resistance when spanks started landing on the center of his butt again. He wriggled around and tried to get his behind out of the firing range, but a firm hand kept him in place. He gave a dramatic huff and gave up, 

“I’m still waiting kid?” Gil said as he laid smacks to alternate butt cheeks,  
“Gil! ow...I’ll call you or clean the loft all night if I have to...or bake cookies,” 

Gil was just about ready to wrap up the lesson,   
“And what won’t you do Malcolm? Just so I’m 100% sure we’re both on the same page here.”

Malcolm sighed and rolled his eyes,   
“I won’t leave the loft after dark, not unless supervised by a responsible adult,”   
and almost immediately he was very sorry that adult, smart mouth Malcolm had briefly put in a very unwelcome appearance.

Gil was disappointed but not all that surprised by the kid's behavior. But at least he got to demonstrate to Bright that he meant what he said. He took the waistband of the kid’s underwear and tugged them down, just enough to give him access to lay four solid smacks to his bare behind. And he made them the hardest swats he’d delivered during the spanking. 

Bright felt the cool air hit his butt as his underwear was pulled down, and much harder smacks landed. It was all just too much for his exhausted brain to process and he burst into very loud sobs. He cried because his life sucked(not how he would normally describe what it was to be Malcolm Bright, but it was all he could come up with at short notice) and his butt hurt. But mostly he cried because he was 30 years old and was getting a bare butt spanking. As if hallucinations weren’t enough to put up with. If he had to get a spanking at least it could’ve been a kinky one. Bright sobbed even louder.

“Whoa kid, it's ok, I got you,” Gil murmured softly as he rubbed the kids back while he cried out over his knee. He eased Bright’s underwear back into place and waited until the sobs quietened. Then he helped the kid up so he could fix his pants, the bright clung to him and cried softly. Gil tilted his head up a little to accommodate tucking the young man’s head under his chin and gave him a bear hug. 

Eventually the crying stopped and Gil eased them both back onto the couch, his arm still around Bright’s shoulders.

“You want another hot chocolate kid, then maybe a nap on the couch, or you can sleep in my room. Long as you stay on your side of the bed,” he joked. His smile dropped when he saw the expression on Bright’s face, the kid looked like the water works were about to turn back on.

“What’s up kid?” He asked.  
“I can’t stay here, you need to take me home...I might hurt you, I need my restraints,” he lowered his head into his hands and tried not to start blubbering again.

Gil felt bad for the poor kid and annoyed with himself, “It’s ok kid, I can take you home, how about that hot chocolate first?”

Bright looked up and pushed the hair out of his eyes, “can I have marshmallows too?”  
“Sure kid, I think I got some,” Gil ruffled Bright’s hair before getting up to fetch his drink.

“Ok kid, if you’ve drank up I’ll take you home and you can try and finally get some sleep.” 

Bright put his mug down and make brief eye contact with his mentor, “You won’t tell my mom...Mother?”   
“Tell her what kid, about your night time wandering or my hands on approach for ensuring your well being?” Gill teased.

Bright’s cheeks flushed, and he ducked his head before replying, “Both! I don’t want her getting ideas, she’s on my case enough as it is.” He complained.

“Ok kid let’s get you home and tucked into bed,” Gil said with amusement as he went to fetch his car keys.

Bright rolled his eyes behind Gil’s back and got up and grabbed his jacket. Then waited by the front door to be taken home and put to bed, and he had no doubt that Gil would do just that.


End file.
